Autorickshaw and taxi permit holders, who have lost their permits for various reasons, have a new reason to cheer.
While answering a starred question on Tuesday, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said that the state government has started the process of reviving 18,127 taxi permits, which were cancelled for various reasons. According to the CM, 4,000 cancelled taxi permits have already been revived and given to fleet taxis.
Mr Chavan also said efforts are on to revive 28,206 auto permits that were cancelled. The decision on this will be taken soon, he said.
The CM denied allegation by Shiv Sena MLA Vinod Ghosalkar and others about the transport commissioner not reviving permits of cancelled auto and taxi licences for over two years.
The MLAs had pointed out that since 42,000 auto-taxi licences had not been renewed, as many as 84,000 people had been deprived of their wages. “Due to such a huge number of autos and taxis not plying, people are facing hardship due to lesser public transport,” the MLAs alleged. But in his reply, the CM said the proposal was received only on June 29 last year.
At present, there is a complete ban on issuance of new taxi permits, and a ban on issuing autorickshaw permits in the entire state. However, the state has decided to show some consideration and revive licences that were cancelled for some reason or the other, the CM said.
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Jaslok Hospital to stay open for another month
Age correspondent
Mumbai, Jan. 31
In an interesting turn of events, Jaslok Hospital’s blood bank, which was going to stop operating from Tuesday for 15 days, has been given a month’s more time to operate.
The intimation of acceptance of appeal for the stay for suspension of blood bank services came on Monday night. Medical director of the hospital Dr S.K. Mohanty said, “We had appealed to the food and drug ministry for a stay on the suspension and fortunately it came late on Monday night. Now we can offer our blood bank services for another month. We have already made appeals to the authorities, and the ministry will take a call after one month. We will abide by the orders in any case as and when we are notified.”